Wonderful, another show I have no interest to watch. I want a good remake of Lost In Space, and I want it today! Now on to more serious matters:

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Just as Christians feel that the nation is becoming less Christian and non-Christian values are being forced upon the public, I feel like the Christian right is increasingly trying to shoehorn Christian doctrine into government policy.

Traditionally, the nation has had Christian morals. When another group tries to change this, Christians resist. Where people want to change laws, they try to keep said laws from being changed. Where laws were never written, where communities assumed there was no need for laws, they enact new laws.

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The U.S. support of Israel is preferential well beyond anything we've ever lavished upon any other nation, with perhaps the exception of England during WWII

I think we support Israel because we we're embarrassed/grieved for not stopping Hitler sooner. In fact, I think that embarrassment/grief changed us from an isolationist nation which stayed out of foreign affairs to a nation which must help oppressed nations. We're trying to make up for not bombing Auschwitz.

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And, as Mofo said, look at the bright side. Look at Mormonism. It is on the rise and is experiencing an almost "cool" perception, and you can thank the success of shows like Big Love, that largely portrayed many dark aspects of the faith. The fact that this show exists is ultimately good for Christianity. I would probably find the show more annoying than you and I'm not Christian.

I'm not sure of this. 50 years ago most people took religion seriously. Now, few people do. This show is a symptom of apathy. Furthermore, Christians are accused of hypocrisy, the very thing Christ chided the Pharisees about. I cannot deny this, but there are good Christians. This show will spread the message of hypocrisy, not the message of Christ.

I'm not sure if I agree with you about people not taking it seriously. Yes, there are more people than ever who don't think about it one way or another, but there have always been hypocrites. Honestly, one of the best ways I can think of to gauge whether or not religion matters in your country is to ask if someone who isn't a member of the major religion in that country could become its leader.

In the meantime, I'll keep being cautious about who I reveal my beliefs to since I'd prefer avoid being ostracized, being passed over for a job or being fired for them. Honestly, it took me a while to reveal them here because I needed to be sure that this forum really was open-minded enough not to make a big deal out of it.

In the meantime, I'll keep being cautious about who I reveal my beliefs to since I'd prefer avoid being ostracized, being passed over for a job or being fired for them. Honestly, it took me a while to reveal them here because I needed to be sure that this forum really was open-minded enough not to make a big deal out of it.

No big deal to me. My Celtic ancestors were no doubt pagans themselves.

Of course, coming from a Presbyterian background, I naturally favour Christian values and Christian symbols - such as mistletoe and holly, Christmas trees, Easter eggs, dressing up for All Hallows Eve and wishing everyone a joyous Yuletide.

As for GCB, from the previews I've seen, it looks terribly hamfisted and clicheed, and utterly stupid. Should be a hit.

I thought all Irishmen just hung out at bars? How are they tied to the IRA?

I can see it. Hang out in a bar for a while, get drunk, start thinking "you know what? We should all go blow something up!" It makes sense to me.

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Druid. Like I said, when media acknowledges that we exist at all, they sort of assume that we're just like Wiccans (lots of real similarities and we get on quite well, but we're not exactly the same) and then slap Wiccan misconceptions on us, too. The same thing happens to every other Pagan group, too.

I don't assume anything like that. I assume you all wear brown robes, live in isolation, and sacrifice women and children to evil spirits and possibly trees. I saw it on a movie once.

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I thought all Irishmen just hung out at bars? How are they tied to the IRA?

I can see it. Hang out in a bar for a while, get drunk, start thinking "you know what? We should all go blow something up!" It makes sense to me.

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Druid. Like I said, when media acknowledges that we exist at all, they sort of assume that we're just like Wiccans (lots of real similarities and we get on quite well, but we're not exactly the same) and then slap Wiccan misconceptions on us, too. The same thing happens to every other Pagan group, too.

I don't assume anything like that. I assume you all wear brown robes, live in isolation, and sacrifice women and children to evil spirits and possibly trees. I saw it on a movie once.